Introduction To Remote Sensing

I've learn remote sensing while I'm studying in university. I found this thing is very interesting & I feel like a scientist or astronaut when I learn this thing. Ok, what is Remote Sensing? It is a science in which an object is observed from a distance & analysis without touching the object. This is similar to the principle of seeing an object with our own eyes. In remote sensing the observed object is the earth's surface. The platform is a satellite or an airplane. Sensors in the platform may represent either a passive sensor (which depends on the sun for a radiating object) or active sensors (which does not depend on the sun). Remote sensing can be divided into three segments, namely space segment, ground segment & consumer segments.

Among the uses of remote sensing are:

1. Environmental monitoring - Detect illegal logging activities in the catchment area & Detecting illegal exploration of forest reserves, mangrove swamps & watersheds.

Coral reef monitoring using Landsat satellite

2. Management of natural resources - A tool to plan & manage areas such as watersheds, nature reserves & others. It also can detect areas that may experience landslides.

3. Disaster management - Flood management, preventive & corrective actions.

4. Infrastructure planning - Roads, highways, power lines / electrical or proposed pipeline. Beside that, the proposed tower construction area of telecommunications (by using the 3D satellite image). 

3-D images derived from Landsat-7 image

5. Geological applications - Review of the geological structure of the earth.

6. Recognize the types of land uses - Identify the types of land uses and different types of agriculture.

7. Review the impact of natural phenomena and man-made phenomenon.

8. Detect oil spills.

Black lines indicate the oil spill

9. National Security - Military Information Systems & management of national security.

Actually there are many more uses remote sensing to humans and the environment. Therefore, we must learn and apply it.

Evaluation of Plant Use

I've learn some knowledge about chemical plants & it really is proven to cure some chronic diseases. Now there are thousands of species of medicinal plants around the world. Species of medicinal plants have potent effects as it contains several chemicals that are good for health and able to fight the disease. Among the chemicals found in plants is:

1. Alkaloids: Alkaloids containing amino acids. Used to relieve pain Example alkoloid is nicotine, cocaine and morphine. The bark of the Cinchona tree contains quinine which is used to treat malaria.

2. Flavonoids: Flavonoids have medicinal values such as antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-inflammation, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and cardiovascular disease (heart disease). Green tea contains high amounts of flavonoids.

3. Saponin: Saponin lather like soap when dissolved in water. Believed regulate cholesterol in the body and has anti-cancer activity. Rambutan, soy beans and asparagus contain this saponin material.

4. Terpen: Terpen used for products smell like pine oil, turpentine oil and oil Kamper.

One country that has the Malaysian medicinal plants. Scenario of traditional medicinal plants in Malaysia for now will focus on a few species that have been popularly used by local people, such as: 

Orthosiphon stamineus, Benth or Mustache Cat

a) Tongkat Ali

b) Kacip Fatimah 

c) Manjakani

d) Mustache Cat  

e) Noni

All these species are cultivated as a source of alternative medicine to modern medicine. The government also hopes spesiesspesies planting will be a source of income leading to the village people.